New NBA Commissioner Adam Silver says no NBA teams are 'tanking'

NEW ORLEANS — New NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said he sees no evidence that teams are "tanking" their way through the 2013-14 regular season.

On Saturday night, Silver was asked to define "tanking" and to comment on the teams that are putting young players on the floor and losing along the way.

"My understanding of 'tanking' would be losing games on purpose, and there's absolutely no evidence that any team in the NBA has ever lost a single game — or certainly in any time that I've been in the league — on purpose," Silver said during a media conference with reporters at Smoothie King Center.

"To me, what you're referring to, I think, is rebuilding, and I'm not sure it's just a function of the collective-bargaining agreement. I think there's a balance with any team of the need to look out to the future and, at the same time, put a competitive product on the floor.

"And I think what we're seeing in the league right now is there's no question that several teams are building toward the future, and I think their fans understand that as well. If there was any indication whatsoever that players or coaches somehow were not doing their absolute most to win a game, we would be all over that. But I don't believe for a second that's what's going on."

The Orlando Magic are one of the NBA teams that have been mentioned as tanking this season. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Magic have the fifth-youngest roster in the league. The team also owns a 16-38 record, the third-worst record in the NBA.

The Magic recently beat the two teams with the NBA's best records, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers.

MVP race

LeBron James has won four of the last five NBA Most Valuable Player awards, but many league observers think he's running behind Thunder superstar Kevin Durant for the trophy this season.

James made it clear Saturday that individual honors still are important to him because those honors reflect that his work is paying off.

"Absolutely," James said. "That means that I'm well-respected, and it means that everything that I've worked on as far as my craft I'm able to put into a game situation and it becomes crucial to me. When you work out, when you do things and you try to get better at things and it may come to fruition, you're very, very satisfied with that."

James, who has won the last two MVP awards, has led the Miami Heat to a 37-14 record despite fellow Heat All-Star Dwyane Wade occasionally sitting out games to rest his knees.

Durant has propelled the Thunder to an NBA-best 43-12 record, even though teammate Russell Westbrook has missed 30 games.

Durant also leads the league in scoring, averaging 31.5 points per game.

Rookie's adjustment

What's been the biggest adjustment this season for Magic rookie Victor Oladipo?

He answered that question this weekend.

"I think the number of games is probably the hardest thing," Oladipo said. "Just to get your body right, get your mind right, just being consistent. It's something you got to work at. So I'm trying to work on that right now."

Star struck

Oladipo has seen a few celebrities this weekend, but none of them left him more star struck than former Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell.

Oladipo saw Russell when Oladipo returned to his hotel on Friday afternoon.

Oladipo said, "Hi," but didn't introduce himself because Russell seemed like he was in a hurry.